, a program to minimize, recycle and dispose of leftover paint, launched Thursday with the opening of about 30 collection centers in paint stores across the state. By year's end, up to 90 centers are scheduled to open.

About 10 percent of the 750 million gallons of paint purchased in the U.S.each year goes unused. Leftover paint is the largest household hazardous waste by volume and cost, according to manufacturers. While it isn't as easy as curbside recycling, PaintCare represents a marked improvement over the previous options for leftover paint -- letting it dry out in the garage, tossing it into the trash or hauling it to the handful of Metro locations for recycling. It will complement Metro's longstanding paint recycling program, which already has made Oregon a trailblazer in reducing and reusing paint waste.

PaintCare is the latest step toward more environmentally friendly paint -- from getting the lead out to low volatile-organic compounds in paint -- and now, safer ways to dispose of it.

The program holds manufacturers, retailers and consumers responsible for the mess made from leftover paint, an idea called product stewardship. It also creates monetary incentives for manufacturers to make their products better, reduce waste and remove toxic components.

Part of the program is geared to help consumers buy the right amount of paint and properly store leftovers for later use. (Tip: Place plastic wrap on the tops of paint cans before fitting lids on snugly, and store upside down at a moderate temperature.)

Jaded by failed attempts to bring paint stewardship to California, the trade group was initially cold to the institute's advances. But PSI's connections with state governments soon won the trade group over, and the nonprofit stewardship organization was born. PSI's consensus-based model meant no one was left behind. "Not everybody likes every part of it," says Alison Keane, executive director of the paint trade group. "But everybody can agree that it should work and can live with the approach."

The trade group attempted to pass paint stewardship legislation in Minnesota in 2008, but the legislation was vetoed. Oregon's political climate turned out to be more favorable.

Metro, which used to foot the bill for paint collection and recycling, will now be paid by PaintCare to continue running its existing paint waste collection sites. This saves the regional government $1 million a year.

Reusable latex paint from across the state will be sent to Metro's Swan Island recycling facility, newly expanded to handle the increase. Oil paints, which cannot be recycled, will be turned into cement additives and fuel for cement kilns.

The trade group is pushing paint stewardship legislation in Connecticut, Vermont and California and hopes to eventually go national.

For its part, PSI next wants to introduce stewardship programs for pharmaceuticals and light bulbs and is contemplating initiatives for food and paper products. A current project deals with phone book management; consumers can opt out of receiving them on the institute's website.

"There's probably no limit as far as the products that you can utilize the product stewardship model for," Keane says. "It's very exciting."